The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of butterfly bush that is grown for use as an ornamental shrub for the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Buddleja crispa×loricata and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘MORNING MIST’.
‘MORNING MIST’ resulted from a formal breeding program established by the inventor at his nursery in Stockbridge, United Kingdom. The inventor's nursery holds one of the United Kingdom National Collections of the genus Buddleja which have been approved by The National Council for the Preservation of Plants and Gardens (N.C.C.P.G.). The inventor's nursery maintains a reference collection of over one hundred cultivars and species of the genus Buddleja. 
The purpose of the breeding program was to produce a hardy silver-leaved Buddleja. The inventor proceeded as follows:
In 1994, the inventor selected from the National Collection an unnamed plant of the species Buddleja crispa (unpatented) as prospective female parent for deliberate cross-pollination with an unnamed plant of the species Buddleja loricata (unpatented) as male parent.
Buddleja crispa is a silver-gray foliaged drought-tolerant shrub which is native to the lower slopes of the southern Himalayas. Buddleja loricata, also known as mountain sagewood, is native to the higher altitudes, typically above 1800 meters, of the eastern cape of South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal.
To conduct the hybridization the inventor first removed the anthers on the female parent. Then carefully obtaining pollen from the male parent, the inventor placed the pollen on the style of the female parent flowers. The inventor protected the flowers by covering them with pollinating bags to prevent cross-pollination from plants other than the specified parents. The seed that resulted from this hybridization was collected by the inventor in the fall of 1994 and sown by the inventor in the spring of 1995. The inventor planted the resulting seedlings into an open ground bed in the fall of 1995 in order to be able to evaluate them over the ensuing years for certain desirable characteristics.
By 1997, the inventor selected a single plant from the seedling bed for its unique characteristics and combination of intensely silvered foliage and compact, well-branched growth habit. This single plant is the subject of the present invention, ‘MORNING MIST’.
‘MORNING MIST’ is an individual whole plant hybrid that resulted from the cross-pollination of the female parent, a plant of the species Buddleja crispa (unnamed, unpatented) and the male parent, a plant of the species Buddleja loricata (unnamed, unpatented).
The distinguishing traits of ‘MORNING MIST’ are evergreen foliage, hardiness, white flowers, compact habit, and leaves that are intensely silver in color. The cultural requirements for ‘MORNING MIST’ are well-drained soil, full sun, and moderate water. ‘MORNING MIST’ exhibits no pest or disease problems known to the inventor.
The closest comparison plants known to the inventor are the parents Buddleja crispa and Buddleja loricata. Whereas ‘MORNING MIST’ and Buddleja crispa each have silvered foliage, the color of the flowers of Buddleja crispa varies between pink, lilac and purple. The flowers are carried in long sparse panicles. Buddleja loricata exhibits medium to dark green foliage and flowers which are sweetly scented and colored creamy white or yellow, with orange centers. Thus, ‘MORNING MIST’ is distinguishable from the comparison plants by its white flowers and intensely silver colored foliage.
The first asexual propagation of ‘MORNING MIST’ was conducted by the inventor in 1998 in Stockbridge, United Kingdom. The method of propagation used was softwood cuttings. Since that time, under careful observation, the distinguishing characteristics have been determined stable, uniform and true to type in successive generations.
The inventor has filed an application for a grant of European Community Plant Breeders Rights, serial number 2003/0022, filed Oct. 6, 2003.
The first public sale or distribution of plants of ‘MORNING MIST’ took place by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in July 2004.